Type-writing apparatus.



- S'. PAPASPYROS. TYPE WRITING-APPARATUS. APPLiCATION FILED JAN 2!, 1918.

Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

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S. RMA-SPYROS. TYPEWRITING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 1Au. 2 1. 191a.

Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

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.1,286;887. Patented Dec. 3, 1918,

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S. PAPASPYBOSL TYPE WRITINQAPPARATUS. APPLICATION HLEDJAN. 21. 1918.

[1,286,887. Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

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'V-J MMAM S. PAPASPYROS.

TYPE WRITING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21. I918.

Patentd Dec. 3; 1918.

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$13 M4 who 1444M u NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..-

SPYROS PAPASPYROS, OF ATHENS, GREECE.

.TYPE-WRITING APPARATUS;

Type-VVriting Apparatus, of which the following is a. specification.

My invention relates to improvements 111 typewri-ting apparatus, pertaining more particularly to machines of the visible writ-mg type, although the invention is not limited to use in connection with such type of machine.

The general purpose of the invention is to provide a .typewriting machine capable of use in connection with either of a pluralit of series of characters, and especially in typewriting machines where the character be typed is carried by a type bar. For instance, the machine may have one set of characters corresponding to the usual roman style characters of a typewriting' machine, and another series have the characters adapted to type in the italic style. Or the additional series may have a different type face from the usual roman style. 01' one series may be adapted to carry characters usable in connection with one language while the other series may carry characters usable in a different language. While it has heretofore been contemplated-to provide this result by the use of interchangeable type wheels, the present invention is designed more particularly to enable machines of the type bar type capable of producing this change.

Attempts have been made to produce these results in the type bar class of machines, but such machines have not only been found expensive in eostof manufacture, but are cumbersome, and provide material ditlieulties in operation, such, for instance, as by so affecting the general operation as to provide for visible writing with one series and blind writing with the other series. \Vhile it might be possible to meet the problem by practically doubling the number of type bars and l eysthus providing the structure. of two machines-this, in itself, not only large] y increases the cost of manufacture but also largely increases the size of the machine:

The present invention is designed more particularly to obtain these results without increasing the number of type bars or keys, and at the same time to permit the machine to operate under visible writing conditions in connection with either'series, with similar Specification of Letters I atent.

Application filed January 21, 1918.

Serial No. 212,976.

ease of operation in connection with either series, and to provide for change from one seriesto the other in' a simple shifting manner, the parts being retained in either shifted position, and giving the effect of two separate machines, without requiaing extensive changes in machine design and structure. The general features of the present invention are such as to enable standard machines to be readily changed into machines adapted for the present purpose, and at comparat-ively small expense.

For the purpose of illustrating the general invention, I haveillustrated the invention as applied to the typeuu'iting machine known connnercially as' the Oliver? typewriter,.a machine which, by reason of its ready transformation, will indicaljtY-ihe general simplicity'of structure and operation in providing what -may-be termed as a duplex effect in having a single machine permanently carr two sets of charactcrs, each set. usable independently ofthe other and similar in operation to the operation of a complete typewriter.

The invention is particularly adapted for use in' connection with machines of the shift type-wherein the carriage support is shiftable during typing operatiousbeing adapted for either single or double shift, and is adapted for use where one character of the type bar may operate as a part of each'set of characters carried thereby.

Other objectsof the invention are to provide a structure which is complete as to operation with either series of characters, and so arranged as to permit a change in operation of the machine from one series to the other in simple manner. the general operation being the same in connection with'cither set or series.

To these. and other ends, the nature of which will be readily understood as the in: vention is hereinafter disclosed, my invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts lu reinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying d 'aw-ings, and more particularly pointed out Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

. characters to the other.

Fig. 2 is'a similar view showing. the general action when the machine ischanged to provide for the duplex action.

'Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a type bar of this type of machine, the View showing a. number of characters capable of use in the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic View showing the character-bearing portion of the type bar which the latter is given its normal shifting.

movements. v

Fig. 6 is a detail view partly in section showing the manner in which the carriage support is mounted to permit its shifting movementin a single plane.

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of'a. carriage of the machine in question when changed to provide for the duplex action,

the carriage being shown with the parts in position to operate with one set of charac-- ters.

Fig. 8 is a similar view-with parts omittedshowing changes which are provided in shifting the. carriage platen to operate in connection with other series of characters.

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the carriage.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the carriage with parts omitted.

Fig. 11 is'atransverse sectional view of the carriage taken on line 1l11 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 12 is a detail sectional view.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a pair of levers for shifting the support during the normal operation of the machine.

Fig. '14 is a top plan view of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a top plan view of a type bar operating key. l'

Figs. 16 and 11 are diagrammatic views illustrating the manner in which the ribbon support r'nay be manipulated to compensate for the change from oneseries or set of Fig. 18 is a sectional view of a typewriting machine is not shown, the particular machine used for the purpose of illustration. being one which has been ,in

commercial use for a" number of years and? its general construction is therefore well known. The changes necessary in providing the transformation in this type of machine are indicated in, the drawings, diagrammatic views being employed to show the general character of operation.-

locking ..sr AVAILABLECLC;

In the machine in questionc the double-shift principlethe carria port is shiftable in a horizontal plane, r

support having a normal position or position of repose-pos1t1on 1n which the lower case characters are operative 111 the typing action'the supp nrt being shiftable either;

forward or rea-rnard to bring the carriage platen into position to produce the typing action with either the caps or the figures, the directionof movement depending upon the particular carriage support shift key which is depressed, the machine having the support position of repose at an intermediate pointof the support movement. The carriage travels in the direction of length of the support and therefore without moving out of the general shifting plane of the support-shown as horizontal in this type 'of machine. The type bars are of arch shape and located above the plane of the carriage, depressionof the type bar key causing the type bar to rock. on a pivot and move from an approximately vertical position toward the horizontal, the pivot point being located abovethe plane of the writing surface.

The general operation of this commercial machine maybe understood somewhat from the diagrammatic showing -of Fig. 1, in which (1 indicates the carriage support, Z)

carries three characters, and the normal I pos1t1onpos1t1on of reposeof the carriage and support are. such that the platen of the carriage falls directly on the vertical plane of travel of the central character of the type bar, this being the position of the parts shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the line .1: indicating the vertical plane through which the central character moves into typing position.

As will be seen from Fig. 1, shifting of support a rearward will carry platen 1) into a position where it is on the vertical plane indicated at :17, this being the plane of one ofthe' outer characters, while shifting of the support forward will bring the platen -intothe plane indicated at m which is the vertical plane of movement of the other outside character. The various positionsof the parts when shifted are shown in the dotted line representations of this figure.

As will be seen, the entire shifting action i 'tion of repose, the platen will be on the plane is provided by movements of the'support, the carriage simply traveling lengthwise of the support and having no movement relative to the. support in the direction of support shifting movement, the support, as heretofore pointed out, being shiftable in a horizontal plane, this being permitted by the use of 'a mechanical movement which provides for movement practically on a pivot, and compensating for the change from arcuat'e to straight-line movement.

Fig. 2 shows the transformation provided by the present invention. The carriage support with its. normal position or position of repose and the front and rear shifting -movements is retained, so that with the support located in the normal position or posiof the intermediate character of a series, as in Fig. 1, the several vertical planes of Fig. 1 being indicated in Fig. 2 by the corresponding reference characters. Hence, when the platen b. is normally located on the vertical plane 90, the general operation is similar to that indicated in Fig. 1.

However, as heretofore polnted out, the

present invention'i's designed to provide for operation with two series of characters instead of the one series of Fig. 1, the additional series being eithera complete set or series or a set or series which employs one of the characters of the original series as a part of the operative elements of the additional series, thus employing one of the characters in common with both series. This latter arrangement may be provided in cases where the character is a figure, punctuation mark, etc. In the drawings this arrangement is shown, the characters controlled by the fig. shift key usable in common with both series. but two characters are added to the type bar. While this increases the length of the character-carrying portion of the bar. this length does not affect the latter, especially in the machine referred to, in which the type baris of arch form, a form which will permit of the addition of complete series without affecting its general operation.

planes m and 1 the capital letter characters.

of these seriesbeing the outer characters of the type bar in positions corresponding to planes 9: and 3 These characters of the two series as a general rule differ from each other, due to the change in configuration of the characters of the two series. However, as heretofore pointed out, the figures, or the either of these normal positions being such as to be; Hence,

-4, the lower case char" characters of the different series which are generally made operative by the figure shift key, are generally usable in both series, so that this particular character can be utilized with either series, and is therefore placed centrally of the series of characters in the position, corresponding to plane :10.

If, therefore, the platen, beinglocated in the normal position indicated by line ain Fig. 2, is shifted to a position to locate it on the line indicated at 3 the shifting move ment will cause the platen tobe located in position to type the lower casecharacters of the second series. And if this shifting action is provided without a corresponding shift of the carriage support a, it will be readily understood that when the normal movements of the support are provided with the platen in its shifted position, the additional characters on line y and the figure characters on line a," are brought into operation, thus completing the second series. of which the figure characters are common in both series.

This shifting action of the platen, pro vided in a plane parallel to the plane of movement of the carriage support, therefore practically places the platen in either one of two normal positions or positions of repose-positions where the support is in its intermediate position or position of repose. And in either position of repose, the platen may be shiftedby the normal movements of the support to provide for the double shift action relative to each series. 'lhereforc, by shifting the platen support without affecting the support movements and in a front to rear direction, the platen maybe located in while the remainder of the machine mechanism ortyping instrumentalities-with the exception "of a few changes referred to-\vill function as in the one-series type of machine.

In other words. by providing an independ ent movement between the platen carriage and the carriage support in directions corresponding to the shift movements of the support and in a plane parallel thereto, the carriage and its support may provide complete action for either of two independent series of characters and permit of the normal operation of the machine in either position of the platen, thus practicallv producing a duplex writing machine with the single carriage support, single series of keys and type bars, at the same time provide for the flexibility of operation which is desirable in a commercialinachine.

As will be obvious, certain changes must be. provided in the machine to permit this result to be obtained, and these changes are indicated somewhat in the remaining figures of the drawing. The main changes are provided in the carriage itself, these changes having the general purpose of permitting the platen to shift between the two positions of repose without affecting the normal operative connections which are provided between the carriage and other parts of the machine, as for instance the escapement mechanism, the carriage tension, etc. Furthermore, since the carriage support itself is designed to be unchanged by ,shifting of the platen into either position of repose, the changes must be such as will retain the antifriction rollers o travelers which operate in connection with the carriage supporting bars or rails-carried by the support-in their positions relative to the rails regardless of the shifting movements of the plateni In Fig. 7 is shown a bottom plan view of! a carriage of the commercial machine. referred to, the view showing the parts in the positionsoccupied by them when the platen is in its position of repose corresponding to the line in of Fig. 2, the following description referring only to certain parts of the carriage for the purpose of explaining the invention.

2O designates the bar or plate which cotiperates with the escapement, this bar or plate carrying the rolls or travelers 21 which travel on the bar or rail 22 (Fig. of the support, thetravelers being located in suitable frames carried by this bar or plate 20. Plate 20 is provided with rearwardly extending members 23 which extend into grooves 24 (Fig. 12) of members 24 carried by side plates 25 of the carriage frame, this construction permitting members 24 to move relatively to plate 20 in the direction of length of groove 24, this groove, in practice, extending parallel to the plane of movement of the carriage support. The platen 26 is carried in the side plates 25, and hence when relative movementis had between plate 20 and member 24, the platen will be shifted relative to plate 20, the shifting being in a front to rear direction. It will-be understood, of course, that since travelers 21 -are located on the rail 22which is not changed in position during shifting of the platen plate 20 will remain in its normal position to co-act with the escapement mechanism regardless of movement of the platen.

Since the movement of the platen is designed to be of a fixed length-the distance between lines a," and {1 .in Fig. 2, for instance--means are provided for producing this movement and, controlling its length, this means being in the form of a rod 27 (Figs. and 11) carrying gear segments 28 which engage r'ack' teeth 29 formed on the upper faces of Rod 27 extends through one offthe side' plates 25 and is provided at its .outer'end with an arm 30 carrying a latch device 31 of suitable type, this device preferably having an inwardly extending spring-supported member which is adapted" to-enterrecesses I chine referred to. members or' extensions 23.

dEST AVAlLABLt; GO'r or notches 32 of a member 32 carri.

side plate and preferably mounted in e manner as to permit of adjustment relati\ r. tosaid side plate, member 32 preferably having stops 32 to limit the length of movement of arm 30. Adjustment of member 32 may be provided in any suitable manner, the drawings showing the member as. slotted, the securing screws for the member extending through the slots. Latch device '31 is of a type which will permit its end to be withdrawn from the recess 32 in which it may be located to permit the arm to swing a distance sufficient to permit this end to enter the other recess 32*, this movement of the arm operating to rock rod or shaft 27 and, through the segment and rack connections, providing the relative movement between plate 20 and members 24.

If desired, springs 33 may be employed for the purpose of returning the platen and its support to the main series position, when the latch device has been released, in case the manual movement provided by the arm does not properly locate the platen in this position. As will be understood, the length of rocking movement of rod or shaft 27 is such as to cause the platen to be shifted the exact distance desired in order. that the platen may be in *its proper typing position, the 'open ings 32 being located to provide for this exact positioning, the location of 'the latching device in either opening acting to lock plate 20 anti-members 2-iagainstfrelative movement until shifting action is again had 100 by releasing the latch device. Proper adjustment of the platen toits position of repose can be had by adjusting member. 32 so as to insure that the platen is in the desired typing position.

Operation of arm 30 will, therefore, provide the shifting action of the platen and its support between the two positions of repose, plate 20 remaining constant in position regardless of the shifting movement. And 110 since the platen support carries the various instrumentalities usually carried by the carriasze and usable in paper feed, etc, the shifting movement of the platen support will retain these various instrumentalities in 115 their normal positions, so that the platen carrier or support, in either position, will require no manipulation or change to permit the typing operation.

This shifting of the platen practically re- 12 quires several additional changes when the invention is applied to the commercial ma- One of the effects due to the shifting of the platen support is in con nectionwvith the-linespacing mechanism used in connection with the particular type of machine, the spacing being provided by the action of a stop carried by the carriage support and in the path of a rod which. through suitable connections, operates the marginal stop platen to provide for line spacing, this rod being carried on the platen support or carriage. Shifting of the platen support necessarily shifts the position of this rod, and I have therefore provided means'for extending the face of cont-act of the rod laterally a distance sufficient to permit its co-action with the stop regardless of the shifting movement. In addition I have changed this element in such manner as to provide for a straight-line movement of the element instead of the w'a'bbling movement employed in the commercial machine. This particular mechanism is shown more particularly in Fig. 7, in which the rod is indicated at 34 and shown as mounted in bearings 34 and 35 carried by the platen support, the free end of this rod carrying a head 36 extending laterally and which in turn is connected to a supplemental rod 37 supported by hearing 35. The opposite end of the rod is jointedor pivotally connected to a member 38 the opposite end of which is connected to the usual gearsegment structure 39 of the com- 2 mercial machine, this arrangement permitting the freedom of movement which is desired in the line spacing operationand'at. the same time obtaining a .straightline movement of rod 33 and obviously of head 36. .Obviously, oscillation of the segment structure39 moves member 38 which, being jointed/ to rod 37,- imparts a straight line motion to the latter. This particular feature may be employed in the commercial machine by simply omitting head 36 and rod 37.

As will be understood, head 36 is adapted to cooperate with a stop 361 (Fig. 5) carried bv a rod 360 adjustable in the direction of'its length, said stop being the usual for the left hand margin in the commercial machine referred to.

Another feature is the point of attachment of thetensioning cord'or spring to the carriage, this being generally of adisengageable type so as to permit the carriage to be removed when desired. In order that the direction of tension application maynot be varied and the movement'of the cord or spring remain the same regardless/of" platen shift. I locate cord IEtRITILIIg CIBVICG 40 on one of the extensions 23fso that the position of this device j's not changed when the platen is shifted'f V An importan change is the rear support for the carriage, this support being provided b va rollor traveler 41 which is adapted to ii eyon tllie bar-or rai1 42 (Fig. 5) of the As will beunderstood, the distance at/ 43. H V between rails 22 and 42' of support 43"remains constant, and in order that the rolls or travelers 21-a nd 41 will remain in properenga'gement therewith when the platen is shifted,

the apparatus, latter being. indicated generally relative movement between the I platen support and roller or traveler 41 must be permitted. \Vhile this constancy in distance between the planes of travel of travelers 31. and 41 mightbe obtained by lucating traveler 41 as a part. of the non-shifting structure, the carriage formation is such that such mounting is more or less difficult,-

," traveler 41, a spring 46 being interposed between member 45 and the frame of the platen support, this arrangement normally tending to maintain traveler 41 in an outer position, but permitting shifting of member 45 and the traveler carried thereby on rod 44 when the platen is shifted, it being understood that the engagement of traveler 41 with its rail 42 will be sufficient to hold the traveler against shifting when the platen is shifted.

With these changes it will be readily understood that the carriage, when the platen is in either position of repose and in its proper plane, will provide for complete typing operation, the position .of repose determining which series of characters is being used. The only action required to change from 'one position of repose to the other of the platen is the shifting of arm 30 and this arm enables the operator to provide such shifting movement rapidly. f

As will be seen, shifting ofthe platen from one position of repose to the other is {independent of the carriage support shifting movements, the support having the same position of repose in either of th e positions of repose of the platen. Hence, shifting op erations of the carriage support will be the same in each case,'thiis permitting all shifting movements of support 43 to be provided by the two shift-ing levers which form part of the commercial structure, these shifting levers being indicated at 47 and 48, one lever being adapted to shift the support forwardly from its normal position or position of repose, the other being operative to shift the support rearwardly from this position, these levers carrying stops 49 so positioned as to extend on oppositesides of a support element when the support is in its position of repose, thus locking the support in this'position. In the normal operation of depression of the key of either lever, moves its stop 49 out of the path of movement of this support element,

permitting the support to 'move in the desired shifting direction.

Where, as in the form illustrated, the particular arrangement gfthe Eharacters on the type bar provides for the commonuse of a.

character in both series, thus practically reversing the general order of the main series,

there is presented a condition which must be met in this support shifting operation. This condition will be readily understood from Fig. at, in which the several lines correspond to the same-lines of Fig. 2, the lines 00 and 3 indicating the positions of repose of the platen, the arrows showing the directions of shifting movements of the carriage support: As will be seen, the direction of shifting movement of the support when the cap. key is depressed, when the position of repose of the platen is on the line 00, is in a direction opposite to the direction in which the support must be shifted into cap. position when the platen is in the position of repose indicated by line y. Or, if the characters controlled by the fig. shift key are to be brought into typing relation, the direction 'of shift of the carriage support from one position of platen repose is opposite that which takes place when in the other position of repose. Hence, levers 4'7 and 48 must be so arranged as to provide for shifting of the carriage support in the proper direction when the platen is shifted from one'position of repose to the other, and this is provided by cn'iploying an additional set of keys, each lever carrying two keys instead-of the single key heretofore employed, one key being employed in connection with one set of characters, the other key being employed when the platen has been shifted. Obviously, each lever will thus carry a fig. key and a cap. key, since depression of a lever in one position of the platen will carry'the platen into the figure position, while the movement of this lever when the platen has been shifted to the other position of repose will carry the platen into the cap. position. These keys, for convenience, are arranged so that the two cap. keys will have the same general position with respect to the fig. keys, hence the key ends of the levers are given proper configurations to locate 'the keys at proper points. In the drawings, the keys are shown as in two banks, the keys ofone bank providing thecap. and fig. keys for one set of characters, thus locating both cap. keys in a front to rear direction of the machine. It will be obvious, however,

that this may be varied, and any preferred arrangement be provided, the key ends 'of levers 47 and 48 being shaped to meetthe conditions present.

As shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 13, levers 47 and 48 are operatively connected to support 43 so as to produce the desired shifting action of said support, each lever carrying an inclined slot cooperating with a pin mounted on the end of a rock arm, the shaft of which carries a rockarm connected to support 43. the cam slots of the levers extending identifying characters.

' ative in. the. other position of repose.

The type bar keys will-carry the proper A simple arrangement for indicating the two sets of characters is shown in Fig. 15, wherein a dividing line is placed between the line of characters which are operative in one position of repose of the platen and the characters oper- This line is shown as extending horizontally, but it may obviously extend in other directions. \Vhere the double set of characters are employed, it may be preferable to give the two sets different colors in order to more clearly distinguish. Obviously, where the two sets of characters do not difi er as for instance where roman and italic styles are .employeda single characterdesignation will be sufficient.

Since the general tvning zone is increased in width bv the addition of the two characters on the type barfive individual typing with the two-color ribbon in this commercial machine, "wherein this guide is shiftable from front to rear to locate the proper color in the typing plane. movement of this guide is materially less than that provided in shifting the platenfrom one position of repose to the other, but by employing a one-color ribbon in this type of ribbon guide. the increased width of the ribbon willbe suiiicient to provide a ribbon portion in the typing plane regardless of the position of repose. A (liagramn'iatic representationof this is shown in Figs. 16 and 17, the shiftable guide being indicated by line 50, the jointed connection shown at 51 indicating the connection by means of which the .plane then being adjacent the opposite edge of the ribbonl In this manner; the-length of shifting movement of the guide need not be similar to the length of shifting movement of the platen from one position of repose to another, thus dispensing with the necessitv of changing this nartic'tilar structure, and at the same time roviding for the nor- T he length of shifting I mal advance and retreat of the ribbon necessary in connection with visible Writing machines.

As will be understood, these changes do not affectthe general o erations of the machine or its typing instrumentalities, and provide for the same visible writing action regardless of which set of characters is being employed. At the same time, the changes are of'such character as will enable them to be made at a minimum cost, malting it possible to produce a duplex machine at a comparatively small cost above that required in the production of a machine adapted to write but a single series or set of characters, I

When it is desired to change from one set to theother, it is necessary only to shift the position of arm and the ribbon guide, thus making it possible to quickly change from one set of characters to the other and without the necessity of disarranging the mechanism or the substitution of parts. The advantages of this will be obvious whether the work to be done is such as to reouire extended use of the machine in changed pofications therein may be requlred or found of the invention as exp 4 -panying claims when broadly construed.

sition, or simply a temporary use, such for instance as would be present where it is desired to incorporate an italicized word or words within the matter being typed, the loss of time required to shift from one position to another being small and providing no material delayl Obviously, each set of characters may be complete in itself, thus placing four or six characters on a typebar, depending on whether the'single or-double shift idea is employed. The change may involve a variation in the length ofshifting movement of the platen, but this can be readily provided, it being understood that in each instance it is preferredthat the shift be such as to locate the platen in its proper position of repose.

While I have herein shown and described may be carried out, it will be understood that-the general rinciples underlying the same may be app ied to machines of other types, and that various changes and modidesirable to meet the exigencies of use, and I desire to be understood as reserving the right to employ these general principles in such other connections, and to make such other changes and modificat ons as may be found desirable or essential, In so far as the same may fall within the s irit and scope ressed in the accom Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, is:

1. In typewriting apparatus and in combination, a carriage support held against cndwise movement. and shiitable to and from a positionot repose. a carriage supported thereon and sliittablc solely longitudinally thereof to provide letter space ac tion, saidca-rriage carrying guides extending horizontally in directions transverse to the direction of letter space travel of the carriage, a platen support mounted on said guides, connections between the carriage and platen support to provide movement of the platen support while maintaining the carriage position to locate the platen sup port in either of two positions of repose, and a platen carried by the platen support.

2. In typewriting apparatus and in combination, a carriage support held against endwise movement and shiftable to and from a- 'position oi. repose, a carriage supported thereon and shiftable solely longitudinally thereof to provide letter space action, said-carriage carrying guides extending horizontally in directions transverse to the direction of letter space travel of the carriage, a platen support mounted on said guides, connections between the carriage and platen support to provide movement of the platen support. while maintaining the carriage position to locate the platen sup port in either of twopositions of repose, said carriage having toothed racks, said connections including a rock shaft carried by the platen support and having gear segments cooperating with said racks, means ported thereon and shiftable solely longi tudinally thereof to provide letter space action, said carriage carrying guides extending horlzontallyfin directions transverse to the direction of letter space travel of the carriage, a platen support mounted on said uides. connections between the carriage and platen support to provide movement. of the platen support while maintaining the carriage position to locate the platen support in either of two positions of repose, said carriage having toothed racks, said connections including a rock shaft carried by the platen support and having gear segments coiiperating with said racks, means at an end of the platen support for controlling the movements of said shaft to locate the platen sup rt in either of two positions of repose whi e maintaining the position of the carriage, and a platen carried by the platen s pp ld means includimr an nrln m".

ried by said shaft beyond an end frame member of 'the platen support, a latching device carried by said arm, and a plate car ried by said end frame member and having means cooperative with said latching device to retain the platen in either of itspositions of repose.

4:. In typewriting apparatus wherein the platen is supported to be normally shiftable in predetermined directions to and from a position of repose by movements of such support and is bodily shiftable between two independent positions of repose, means for controlling the normal shifting movements of the platen, said means including'a pair of shifting levers operative to move the platen in predetermined directions relative to either position of repose, said levers each carrying indicating means responsive to both positions of repose.

5. In typewriting apparatus wherein the platen is supported to be normally shiftable in predetermined directions to and from a position of repose by movements of such supportand is bodily shiftable between two independent positions of repose, means for controlling the normal shifting movements of the platen, said means including a pair of shifting levers operative to move the platen in predetermined directions relative to either position of repose, said levers each carrying a pair of indicating members operative individually as indicators'in different positions of platen repose.

. 6. In typewriting apparatus and iii combination, type bars each carrying characters forming parts of a plurality of sets of characters, a carriage and its support, said support being held against longitudinal movement and shiftable to and from a position of repose, said carriage carrying a platen normally movable with the support during the shifting movements of the latter. and means whereby said platen may be shiftdrelative to the support, said means including. 1 a platen support, guides carried by the carriage to permit shifting of the platen support, and mechanism for shifting the platen support relative to its guides at will, said.

mechanism including a rock shaft, and operative connections between the shaft and the platen support to provide platen support shifting movements. v

7. In typewriting apparatus and in combination, type bars each carrying characters forming parts, of a plurality of sets of characters, a carriage and its support, said support being held against longitudinal movement and shiftable to and froma position of repose, said carriage carrying a platen normally movable with the support during the shifting movements of the latter, and means whereby said platen may be shifted relative to the support, said means including a platen support, guides carried by the carriage to permit shifting of the platen support, and mechanism for shifting the platen support relative to its guides at will, said mechanism including a rock shaft, operative connections between the shaft and the platen support to provide platen support shifting movements, and means for controlling the length of rocking movement of the shaft.

'8. In typewriting apparatus and in combination, type bars each'carrying characters forming parts of a plurality of sets of characters, a carriage and its support, said support being held against longitudinal movement and shiftable to and from a position of repose, said carriage carrying a platen normally movable with the support during the shifting movements of the latter, means whereby said platen may be shifted relative to the support; said means including a platen support, guides carried by the carriage to permit shifting of the platen support, and mechanism for shiftin the platen support in a horizontal plane re ative to its guides at will, said mechanism including a rock Shaft, and operative connections between the shaft and the platen support to provide platen support shifting movements, means for controlling the length of rocking movement of the shaft, and locking mechanism for retaining the platen support in predetermined shifted positions.

9. In typewriting apparatus and in combination, type bars-each carrying characters forming parts of a plurality of sets of characters, a carriage and its support, said support being held against longitudinal movement and shiftable to and from a position of repose, said carriage carrying a platen normally movable with'the support during the shifting movements of the latter, and means whereby said platen may be shifted relative to the support, said means including a platen supportshiftable in a horizontal plane relative to the carriage, mechanism for retaining the platen support in either of its positions, and tension means connecting the carriage and platen support and tending to shift the platen support to its normal position when released by the retaining mechanism.

10. In typewriting apparatus and in combination, type bars each carrying characters forming parts of aplurality of sets of typing characters with more than two characters included within aset, each type bar having a single key-actuating lever individual toitself, typing instrumentalities operative with respect to the characters of one set and limiting the typing to the characters of that set, and means whereby said .instrumentalities may be made operative another set at will, one of the characters of a type bar being operative in both sets.

11. In typewritingapparatus and in com- 4n, type bars each carrying characters -m1ng parts of a plurality of sets of typmg characters with more than one character included within aset, typing instrumentalities operative with respect to the characters of one set, said instrumentalities including a carriage and its support, and means whereby said instrumentalities may be made operative with respect to the individual characters of another set at will, said means including mechanism for shifting the platen bodily relative to the carriage and its support, the shifting movement of the platen being limited in length to retain the platen within the typing Zone of one of the type bar characters when the platen is located in either of its shifted positions.

12. In typewriting apparatus and in combination, type bars each carrying characters forming parts of a plurality of sets of typing characters with more than one character included within a set, typing instrumentalities operative with respect to the characters of one set, said instrumentalities including a carriage and its support, said support being shift-able to and from a position of repose,

said carriage carrymg a platen normally;

movable with the support during the shifting movements of the latter and shiftable relative to the support to changethe platen position of repose, means for limiting the bodily shifting movements of the platen to retain the latter within the. typing zone of one of the type bar' characters when the platen is located in either of its shifted positions, and means for moving the carriage support. to and from. its position of repose at will, said latter means being made operative to shift the support in onedirection to place the platen in operative relation to said character when the platen is ope "at-ing in connection with one set of characters and to shift the support in the opposite direction to provide similar relation between said char acter and the platen when the latter has been shifted to cooperate with another set of characters.

1.3. In typewriting apparatus and in combination, a carriage and its support, said support being shiftable to and from a posi- Copies tion of repose and having a pair of parallel fixedly-positioned rails, said carriage having a platen support shiftable to locate the platen in either of a plurality of independ ent positions of repose, traveler structure carried by the carriage ind operative in connection with one support rail, traveler structure carried by the platen support and operative in connection with the other rail of, the carriage support, and means operative with respect to the latter traveler structure for compensating for platen shitting movements.

14:. In typewriting apparatus and in combination, a carriage and its support, said support being shiftable to and from a position of repose and having a pair of parallel fixedly-positioned rails. said carriage having' a platen support shiftable to locate the platen in either of a plurality of independent positions .of repose, traveler structure carried by the carriage and operative in connection with one support rail, traveler struc ture carried by the platen'support and oper ative in connection with the other rail of the carriage supportfthe latter traveler structure being yieldably mounted to compensate for platen support shifting movements.

15. In typewriting apparatus wherein the platen support is shiftable relative to the carriage support and laterally of the dircction of travel of the carriage, line spacing mechanism including mechanism carried by the platen support for rotating the platen and an adjustable member carried by the carriage support and carrying a stop located in the path of travel of the carriage, said platen-rotating mechanism including an oscillatory segment and a jointed rod connected to said segment and supported for straight line movement in the direction of travel of the carriage, said rod carrying a head elongated laterally of such direction of carriage travel, said head having a length suilicient to provide contact with the stop while the platen support is in either of its shifted positions.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

SPYR-OS PAPASP YROS.

the "Commissioner of Patents,

Wuhington, D. 0." 

